Light-weight, crashproof, tubular structure

ABSTRACT

An elongated tubular structure, of non-stretchable material preferably comprising impermeable-to-gas thin metal having: flat, wider, sealed ends; and intermediate, elongated links, each of which has a hollow portion, inflated with gas at a pressure well above that of the atmosphere, and a wider, bonded, flattened-tube band at each link end. Each flat, tubular-structure end comprises a welded, vulcanized or otherwise bonded, sealed joint between two flat sides of the structure and an outer-end means for attachment of this end to a similar portion at the other end and/or to adjoining structure (an end flange, optionally having bolt or rivet holes). Adjacent inflated links are preferably joined by a flatter, wider portion that preferably allows passage of gas between links and inflation of all the links from a single gas inlet, permanently sealed after inflation. The disclosure also comprises a strongly rigid or very stiffly resilient vehicular body (strongly protecting a load in a crash) and stiffly resilient shock-taking means, yieldable without fracture under major shock, comprising tubular structure of the above type.

United States Patent 1 Moore 1 Feb. 20, 1973 [76] Inventor: Alvin EdwardMoore, 916 Beach Blvd., Waveland, Miss. 39576 [22] Filed: May 5, 1970[21] Appl. No.: 34,795

[52] US. Cl ..52/2 [51-] Int. Cl. ..E04b l/345 [58] Field of Search..52/2; 156/253, 206/D1G. 30

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,850,026 9/1958 Leatherman1.52/2 2,923,305 2/1960 Cline ..52/2 3,226,285 12/ 1963 Iovenko..206/D1G. 30 3,277,479 10/1968 Struble ..52/2 3,538,653 11/1970 Meckler..52/2

468,455 2/1892 Giessmann .52/2 3,054,124 9/1962 Silverstone ..52/2 X3,211,162 10/1965 Sigel ..52/2 3,300,910 l/l967 Isaac ..52/2 3,332,1777/1967 Sepp ..52/2 3,343,324 9/1967 Gordon 52/2 X 3,523,055 8/1970Lemelson ..52/2 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 448,129 12/1936 GreatBritain ..52/2

1,260,165 I 9/1961 France ..52/2

Primary Examiner-John E. Murtagh Assistant Examiner-Henry E. RaduazoAtt0rneyAlvin Edward Moore [57] ABSTRACT An elongated tubular structure,of non-stretchable material preferably comprising impermeable-to-gasthin metal having: flat, wider, sealed ends; and intermediate, elongatedlinks, each of which has a hollow portion, inflated with gas at apressure well above that of the atmosphere, and a wider, bonded,flattenedtube band at each link end. Each flat, tubular-structure endcomprises a welded, vulcanized or otherwise bonded, sealed joint betweentwo flat sides of the structure and an outer-end means for attachment ofthis end to a similar portion at the other end and/or to adjoiningstructure (an end flange, optionally having bolt or rivet holes).Adjacent inflated links are preferably joined by a flatter, widerportion that preferably allows passage of gas between links andinflation of all the links from a single gas inlet, permanently sealedafter inflation. The disclosure also comprises a strongly rigid or verystiffly resilient vehicular body (strongly protecting a load in a crash)and stiffly resilient shock-taking means, yieldable without fractureunder major shock, comprising tubular structure of the above type.

14 Claims, 19 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBZOI'QB 3,716,953

SHEET 10F 2 rALVI N EDWARD 'MOORE,

I NVEN TOR.

B firm- ATTORNEY.

PATENTEDFEBZOW 3,716,953

SHEET 2 OF 2 PALVIN EDWARD MOORE INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY.

LIGHT-WEIGHT, CRASIIPROOF, TUBULAR STRUCTURE This invention pertains to:light-weight, strong, unbreakable tubular structures, easily andhermetically inflatable with lighter-than-air gas, air or other gas,usable in the construction of various types of devices, but especiallydesigned for vehicular construction; and the combination of suchstructures, as shock-taking means, with a strong, rigid or nearly rigidcabin of a water-surface or flying boat, life raft, automobile,aircraft, space vehicle, or other vehicle. Some of the basic principlesof the invention are: (1) if a sealed tube inflated with gas atabove-atmospheric pressure has ends free to move (is not endless) ittends to assume and hold a position in which its longitudinal axis is ina straight line. (2) If a sealed tube inflated with gas atabove-atmospheric pressure is endless, with gaseous communicationthroughout its length, it tends to assume and hold an annular (at leastroughly circular) shape. (3) A tube flattened throughout its length andsealed at its flat ends may be inflated with helium or non-aerial gas(without wrinkling of the tube material, without inefficient use of avacuum pump, and without intermixture of the gas with air). Afterinflation the tube has an annular middle portion, tapering to wider,sealed, flatted ends; and if made of sealed flexible material it may berepeatedly inflated or bent under shock without permanent wrinkling ofthe material. (4) Certain materials may be repeatedly bent a long timewithout fracturing; among these are resilient, synthetic or naturalrubber; dense, flexible or resilient plastic; copper (which in thisinvention may be very thin and therefore light and inexpensive sheetcopper); flexible spring steel sheet; soft iron. (5) An elongate'd,sealed, flat-ended tube of the above type may be further flattened andbonded by welding, epoxy resin or the like in one or more narrow bandsor lines of contact between flattened tube walls at one or more placesbetween the flat tube ends; and these intermediate flattened areas mayeasily be bent into strong angular joints between adjacent, inflatedtubeportions that have any desired angle between them, and the narrow bandsor areas further and optionally may serve as: means sealing the adjacenttubular portions from gaseous flow between them; alternatively, means(for example provided by bolt or spot welding) that allows only verylimited flow of gas between these portions; means for attachment to aportion of a vehicular cabin or other support. (6) A barrelcurvedvehicular wall is the strongest kind of form per unit of weight for theload-containing cabin of a boat, aircraft, car or other vehicle. (7) Thecombination of av strong, rigid or nearly rigid cabin with outer tubularstructures of the above type in a shock-taking float, whee] support,propeller support or the like forms a nearly crashproof vehicle of atype that is badly needed in our present wreck-prone civilization.

An object of this invention is to provide an elongated, flat-ended,inflatable tubular structure of the above-mentioned type, having,bendable, flattened and widened portions between its flat ends. Anotherobject is to provide such a structure having wall material orcombination of materials that is capable of long-repeated bending undershock without fracturing. A further purpose is to present thecombination of such tubular structures, as shock-taking means, with astrong, rigid or nearly rigid, load-protecting vehicular wall. Someother objectives are to provide: a tubular article of the above typethat is inflated with lighter-thanair or other gas at a pressure wellabove that of the at.- mosphere (sufflcient to cause the tube not toyield under minor shocks, for example under normal wave or wind action,but to allow the tube safely to yield under major shock, as in acollision, and then to return to its former shape); the combination ofsuch tubular structures, as a shock-taking means, with a barrel-curvedvehicular cabin mainly made of staves or stave-like panels, heldtogether inside hoops or equivalent looped means and optionally bondedat their contacting edges with epoxy cement (or welding), having astrong, barrel-curved exterior surface.

FIG. 1 is a view in section from a plane containing the longitudinalaxis of a bent, flat-ended, inflated tubular structure, this plane beingnormal to the flattened portions of the structure, and the structurebeing shown as partly broken away.

FIG. 1A is a detail, sectional view, showing a bolted or riveted jointbetween links of a tubular structure.

FIG. 1B is a reduced-scale plan view, partly broken away, of a structureof the invention in its uninflated form.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tubular structure of FIG. 1, illustratingit in three inflated links, with the intermediate wall constrictionsbetween links not bent.

FIG. 3 is a plan (or side) view of the structure of FIG. 2, bent into atriangular object, having bracing elements at its three corners.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a structure of the type of FIG. I, having fourinflated links, joined and fastened to braces and skin means in a devicewhich may be the cabin or body of a life raft, other boat, aircraft orother vehicle, shown as having its top skin broken away at part of oneend to expose portions of the vehiclecushioning means, and as having atits other end its cushioning means and skin means broken away to exposethe tubular wall constriction.

FIG. 5 is a detail sectional view from the plan indicated by the arrows5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the body or other vehicle, having wallscomprising the invented type of tubular structures.

FIG. 7 is a detail, sectional view from the plane 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a detail plan view of one of the top (or alternatively bottom)tubular members of the cushioning part of the vehicles top (or bottomwall); when showing one of the top members it is designed to extendbetween the areas indicated by the arrows A and B in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a side, elevational view, partly broken away, of asurface-traversing vehicle and/or flying boat, comprising abarrel-curved cabin and shock-taking means of the tubular-structuretype.

FIG. 10 is an end elevational view of the vehicle of FIG. 9, with itsleft-hand part broken away to illustrate details of the body and floatmeans in cross section.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged, detail, sectional view of the junction of thevehicular body and a flat-ended tubular element, showing the upper edgeof its flattened end as I in its preferred position, a little below themedian horizontal plane of the body.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a solid-material, stave-like panel of thebarrel-curved body.

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the panel of FIG.

FIG. 14, showing an optional form of the stave-like panels, is areduced-scale, sectional, detail view from a plane across thelongitudinal axis of the barrel-curved body that is at one of itslarger-diameter portions.

FIG. is a similar view from a plane that isspaced from that of FIG. 14,toward one end of the bodys load-carrying space.

FIG. 16 is a sectional, detail view from a plane normal to thelongitudinal axis of a barrel-curved cabin, showing an optional form ofthe barrel-curved,'stavelike panels.

FIG. 17 is a detail, cross-sectional view of another optional type ofthe barrel-curved, stave-like panels, having an inner surface that isstraight in section normal to its longitudinal axis.

The basic tubular structure of this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1,1A, 1B and 2. It comprises a plurality of links, of which only onecomplete link, 1, is here shown, and a second link, partly broken awayis indicated at 2. The wall material of the structure is illustrated inFIG. 1 as preferably comprising metal, but in it and in each of theother illustrated forms of themvention this material optionally may beof: resilient rubber or other resilient plastic, preferably reinforcedwith metal or fibrous mesh or other fabric, or of thin copper, aluminumor iron sheet or extruded material.

The elongated tubular structure has a pair of flat end parts (3 in FIGS.1 and 1B; 3 and 4 in FIG. 2) and one or a plurality of intermediate flatbands, 5. The flat ends optionally may have holes 6, for aid infastening the ends together and/or to bracing or supporting means thatsupports the tubular structure or structures.

The tubular structure may be made from thin sheets of one of thesematerials, bonded at their edges, or by extrusion.

When from an extrusion it may be made in accordance with the followingmethod: (I) the extruded tube is flattened into a planar rectanglethroughout its length. (2) Means for inflating the tubular structure isfixed to at least one side of the rectangular article. This means 7, 8optionally may be either a gas-inflation valve (nearly always used ifthe structure (for example of rubber) is to be repeatedly inflated) or asmall gasinlet tube (optionally usable when the structure is of dense,practically impermeable material, such as metal). (3) The two flatplanar folds are united by fastening means, for example bonding material(welding, brazing, vulcanizing material or epoxy resin) in the flatterintermediate constrictions or bands 5, indicated as between lines 9 and10, and are hermetically bonded at their ends 3 and 4. In some uses ofthe structure the sealing and bonding material at one (or each) of theseends is restricted to the band between lines 11 and 12; and the endportions between lines 12 and 14 then are bifurcated, with the upper andlower parts capable of being temporarily spread apart, for aid inwelding or otherwise fastening the two ends of the structure togetherand/or to braces or the like. In an optional form of the structure thebonding material (for example spot welding) along and optionally betweenlines 9 and 10 is not an hermetic, continuous weld or other bond, butinstead has gaps between portions of it that allow a slow seepage orgaseous-flow communication between the adjoining pair of tubular links.In this event: as illustrated in FIG. 2, only one gas-inlet means 7 issufficient for inflating the links; and if the tubular structure is bent(as in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 6) each pair of the inflated links is held infixed angular relation by a brace or angle iron or the like. But whenthe bonding material of the constrictions 5 hermetically seals the linksfrom gaseous-flow communication a gas-inlet means 7 or 8 is necessaryfor each link, at least before the structure is inflated. In someinstances the flat article illustrated in FIG. 18 may enter commerce inthis rectangular, uninflated, easily transportable form, and then beinflated at the place of its first use. Whether the gas-inlet meanscomprises a simple, small tube or such a tube with a valve in it, thesmall tube is preferably permanently sealed when the tubular wallmaterial is of metal or dense plastic that is substantially impermeableto gas. This permanent scaling is by bonding material which may be epoxyglue, but if the structure is of metal is preferably welding, brazing orsoldering material.

An optional type of the fastening means which holds together the flatareas of the constriction between links is shown in FIG. 1A. Thiscomprises rivets or bolts thru constriction holes (providing gas-passageclearances on the sides of these rod-like elements) and bondingmaterial, 15, sealing over the rivets or bolts and holes.

An optionally alternative method of making the tubular structurecomprises the following steps: (1) cutting or otherwise forming twoequal, rectangular, elongated strips (narrow pieces) of thetubular-structure material; (2) fixing to one of these sheets thegasinlet means in the above-described manner: (3) placing the strips orlayers in contact, one above the other; (4) hermetically bonding (withwelding, brazing, soldering, vulcanizing or epoxy bonding material) eachadjoining (aligned) pair of the side and end-edge portions of the twolayers; (5) forming the bonded intermediate constrictions 5 in theabove-described manner.

After the uninflated structure is made by one of the above-describedmethods, it is inflated with gas. This may be air, but preferably islighter-than-air gas (preferably helium; or nitrogen; or hydrogen,preferably mixed with gas that inhibits combustion). The originally flatnature of the structure efficiently provides for its inflation withnon-aerial gas, without the troublesome use of a vacuum pump, becauselittle or no air is present between the contacting flat sides of thestructure in its uninflated condition.

When the tubular-structure material is metal or other substantiallyimpermeable-to-gas material, the structure is initially inflated withgas at a pressure well above that of the atmosphere for example in therange of 10 to 30 pounds per square inch; and the gas-inlet means thenis preferably permanently sealed. But when the material is stretchable(for example resilient rubber, not reinforced with fabric) it is firstonly moderately inflated (for example at a pressure of l to 2 pounds)and then incased in a restricting outer envelope (thus forming acomposite, non-stretchable tube material) and inflated at a pressurewell above that of the atmosphere.

This envelope may be: densely woven fabric; or molded, stiffly resilientmaterial such as semi-rigid foamed plastic, within a strength-providingvehicular skin means (for example woven or metallic fabric, plywood,sheet metal, or dense-plastic sheet).

FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 show devices of several of the numerous configurationspossible with the angularly bent constrictions 5. In FIG. 3, thetriangularly arranged tubular structure has its ends joined byoverlapping the end portions 3 and 4 and fastening them together. Thejoint 16 may be made detachable by using bolts in the holes 6; butpreferably it is permanent, with the use of rivets, bolts, glue and thebracing element 18. This bracing element preferably has its outersurface shaped to conform to the inside surface of the inner bent-endflange.

In FIG. 4, illustrating a quadrilateral device, (preferably the body ofa vehicle), the joint between the ends of the tubular structurecomprises bonding material 20 of one of the above-described optionaltypes. The device of this figure comprises upright braces or posts, 22,of wood or metallic pipe, which are shaped to approximately conform tothe bent curve of the constrictions 5 and of the joined ends of thetubular structure. These posts (braces) are strength-providing elementsof the vehicular body, to which are bolted, screwed, riveted or bondedthe bent curves of the constricted junctions between links and whichserve for attachment of the top, bottom and the optional interior skinor wall element of the cabin, which is similar to the sheet plastic 23of FIG. 7, and may be of fabric-reinforced plastic, preferably rigid orsemi-rigid, or of plywood, or metal.

The top and bottom are attached to the posts in a similar manner. Asheet 24 of plywood or metal (like 25 or 26 in FIG. 7), for example, ofaluminum alloy, thin steel, plywood, or dense, strong plastic(preferably reinforced with fabric), is fixed (for instance with screws28 and/or bonding material of the abovedescribed type) to an end of eachof the posts. Optionally each junction may be strengthened by a flanged,metallic element,.30, having holes 32 for attachment of bolts or rivets.

The top and bottom of the vehicular body (outside the interior skinelements 25 and 26) mostly comprise cushioning, shock-taking, stifflyresilient tubular structures. Each of these structures, 34, is similarto the tubular structures 52 of FIG. 7, and like 52 is fastened at itsend to a pair of bars 38 (similar to bars 40 of FIG. 7). These bars arefixed to upper and lower ends of the posts by the screws 28 and cement,welding or other bonding material; and to the bars the flat, wider endsof the tubular structures are fastened by such bonding means and boltsor the like, 42.

The outer part of the vehicular body has an exterior skin means. Thiscomprises yieldable sheet material 44, which is preferably metallic orfibrous mesh or other fabric impregnated and coated with stifflyresilient rubber or other stiffly resilient plastic.

The vehicular body of FIG. 6 is generally similar in construction to thecabin of FIG. 4, but has a different, more streamlined outerconfiguration. Its cushioning, stiffly resilient side walls compriseinflated, vertically stacked tubular structures 46, 48, '50, of theabovedescribed type, whose flat, wider parts are bent around and fixedin the above-described manner to six upright posts, 53. The shorterstructures 48 form the main, shock-taking part of the bow of thevehicle; and the somewhat longer structures 50 form that of thestreamlined stern. The shock-taking side-wall structures 46 arepreferably longer than the structures 48 or 50. Due to the number ofthese structures (exceeding four) and the fact that their flat portionsare conducive to curving and conforming to the curved sidewall skin orskins, the exterior, sidewall skin means and the cabin are smoothlystreamlined. The bars 40, to which the skin means is attached, arepreferably curved to conform with and be closely juxtapositioned withthe sidewall skin. Each of the elongated, single-link tubular structures52 of the top and bottom cushions has a flat portion that is curved at54 to fit a curved portion of one of the forward bars 40, and an afterflat portion that is curved at 56 to similarly fit a curved portion ofan after bar.

FIGS. 9 to 11 illustrate a shock-taking vehicular cushioning means,comprising inflated tubular structures of the above-described type, incombination with a rigid (or nearly rigid), barrel-curved vehicularbody. This cabin comprises:

a streamlined exterior skin means, 58, of flexible or resilient metal orany of the other, above-described skin materials; and, within this skinmeans and the lower cushioning structure, numerous stave-like panels,60. These panels optionally may be barrelcurved wooden staves, as shownin FIGS. 10 and 11, or

stave-like panels of the below-described general type that is shown inFIGS. 14 to 17. They are surrounded and held with their side edges intight juxtaposition by looped means, 62, which may be bent,round-in-crosssection rods, or the barrel-like metal hoops or rings 64shown in FIG. 9 (nailed and/or epoxy-glued to the stave-like panels) or,alternatively and optionally, a spirally wound strip of thin steel orwire mesh tightly wound around and preferably nailed and epoxy-glued tothe panels.

The panels have planar sides, 66, lying in planes that contain andconverge at the longitudinal axes of the barrel-curved body. Eachjuxtaposed pair of these sides or side edges are waterproofedly unitedwith bonding material of one of the above-described types,

preferably epoxy resin. This is applied to the planar sides (which areedges in the case of wooden panels) just before the panels are clampedinto tight contact by the panel-holding looped means. The currentlypreferred form of this looped means comprises a thin steel oraluminum-alloy hoop (ring or band). Each is of a size to fit theapproximate curvature of the barrelcurved wall where it'is to befastened, and it is hammered or otherwise forced upward on thebarrelshaped curve, jamming the glued planar sides of the panels intotight, clamped contact. After all the hoops are in place, optionally andpreferably other looped means, comprising a metallic mesh (of aluminumalloy or steel wire or expanded metal) is stretched tautly over andbonded to the curved wall and hoops, and this mesh is impregnated andcoated with plastic, stucco or the like. Thus the panels are preferablystrongly held together to form the barrel-like exterior curve by fourholding means: epoxy resin; thin metal hoops; metallic mesh, and thecoating material.

Optionally, the barrel-like cabin may be made without use of narrow,stave-like panels. It may be of relatively wide curved staves (panels orgores) of thin iron, steel or spring steel by die-forming them withshallow flanges at their edges, bonding the flanges together withwelding, brazing, solder or epoxy-resin glue, and stretching and bondinga strength-providing looped means (mesh of the above type) over thewhole. Or the barrel-curved wall may be of laminated plywood ofbuilt-up, staggered layers of relatively wide plywood gores, epoxy-gluedtogether, on a temporarily placed, removable, barrel-shaped, inflatablebag. This mold-core bag preferably is of slightly stretchable fabricimpregnated with resilient rubber.

Although each of the stave-like panels may be pointed at one end, toform the pointed, streamlined stern portion, 68, preferably this portioncomprises expanded metal (optionally integral with the preferredmetallic mesh that covers the stave-like panels or else separate mesh,nailed, bolted or riveted to after ends of the panels, and preferablybonded to these ends by selected bonding material of one of theabovedescribed types). The mesh is impregnated and coated with plasticor stucco.

The currently preferred shape of the panels is indicated in FIGS. 12 to16. From the cabins barrel-like bulge of largest diameter it and each ofthe barrelcurved panels slopes, with decreasing radii of curvature ofthe curved surfaces, to at least one of the ends of each stave-likepanel; and preferably, as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, thegreatest-diameter bulge is in the middle part of the cabin, and itsbarrel-curved surfaces slope, with decreasing radii of curvature to bothends of each panel. This lessening of radii is illustrated in FIGS. 14to 16. FIG. 14 (or FIG. 16) is a sectional detail view across the axisof the cabin at one of its larger-diameter portions, and FIG. 15 is asimilar .view from a plane spaced from this larger portion, toward oneend of the load-carrying space. The radii of the exterior panel arcs (orcovering) 70 (as well as the radii of the circumference of the skin 72(of the skin means around the panels), progressively decrease from thecabins largest diameter to at least one of its ends; and in a similarmanner the smaller radii of the interior arcs 73 of the panels and thearcs 74 of the inner skin decrease toward the same end (or ends) of thecabin.

These decreasing radii are also indicated in the panel of solid material(wood or metal) shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The area of the cabins largestdiameter is indicated at 76; and from this area the radii of curvatureof the panel decrease to each of its ends. The outer and inner curvedlines of each of the planar sides are respectively indicated at 78 and80.

FIGS. 14 and 16 illustrate, at 81 and 82, two optional, hollow forms ofthe stave-like panels. In FIG. 14 they may be of die-formed wire mesh,impregnated and coated in a mold with dense plastic, mortar or glass;but preferably each panel of FIG. 14 comprises an elongated exteriorlyopen channel, having planar sides 66 and an inner curved wall portionhaving the interior are 73. Optionally, the panel also may comprise anarrow outer curved wall portion 70, but preferably the element 70 isannular and surrounds all the channels or stave-like panels. It may beof sheet metal, or wire mesh, impregnated and coated with plastic orstucco.

In FIG. 16 the stave-like panels are separately formed, gas-contained,hollow elements, comprising wire or other fabric mesh, imbedded inplastic, or glass. They may be formed on a removable core within thewire mesh in a mold, or may be extruded from plastic or glass and laterwrapped with the mesh, and glue, plastic or stucco then applied to themesh. The plastic or the like is not shown in small-scale FIG. 16, butplastic of the type that optionally may be used is indicated in FIG. 17.

In FIG. 17 an alternative and optional type of interior surface of thestave-like panels is shown. Here the internal surface, 83, has astraight line in each cross section normal to the elongated axis of thepanel, but as in FIGS. .14 to 16, this internal surface is arched forextra strength in a fore-and-aft plane containing the longitudinal axesof the panel and the cabin; but it is not curved in cross-sectionalplanes that are perpendicular to this fore-and-aft plane. Its planarsides 66, like those of the other forms of panels, interiorly slanttoward each other, and their planes converge at or toward the cabinslongitudinal axis, thus adding to the vehicle the strength of wedgingtendencies of these preferably glue-bonded planar sides when the panelsare subjected to external force.

The numeral 84 may indicate a hollow space. in a molded or extrudedpanel, but preferably it indicates a sealed tubular element of one ofthe above-described tubular materials, preferably inflated with air orlighterthan-air gas at a pressure well above that of the atmosphere; andoptionally it comprises a flat-ended tubular structure of theabove-described type, having one or more links. The hollow spaces ofFIGS. 14 to 16 likewise optionally may be filled with well-pressurizedgas.

sembly may be used with the vehicular body of FIG. 4,

6 or 9. A pair of marine propellers may be installed in spaces (notshown) in the V-shaped lower floats of FIG. 10; but preferably an aerialpropeller, 84, and an engine or other motor, 86, are utilized, togetherwith the airplane-type vertical and horizontal stabilizers 88 and 90,elevator 92, and rudder 94. The vehicle of FIG. 4, 6 or 9 compriseswindow and door means and 95D in FIGS. 9 and 10).

The motor 86 optionally may be an electric motor; but preferably it isan hydraulic motor, receiving fluid from a pump, 96, driven by theengine 96, located on the lower deck, amidships. If the motor 86 is anengine, the element 97 may be an electric generator; and in any eventthe engine 97 drives a generator; and the major portion of the weight ofthese parts, the air-conditioning unit 98, the batteries 99, and therest of the equipment and other load is located below the center ofbuoyancy of the vehicle. The element 100 is a storage chamber, having ahinged top.

The location of the center of gravity below the center of buoyancy helpsstabilize the craft. Also optional balloons in the upper part of thevehicular body 102 in FIGS. 7 and 10 provide lift, aiding instabilization and reduction of water or aerial friction on the floats oron the landing gear which may be attached to the bottom of the vehicularstructure of FIG. 4, 6 or 9. When, as is preferable, the floats 104,comprising aligned, connected, stiffly resilient, four-link tubularstructures (having constrictions) of the above-described type, 106, donot house propulsion devices, they preferably comprise balloons, 108(for example of thinrubber), imbedded in stiffly resilient foamedplastic, 110. As indicated in FIGS. 4 and 7, such foamed plastic alsopreferably surrounds the inflated links and constrictions of the tubularstructures.

In summation: the vehicular body in any of the forms illustrated inFIGS. 4, 6, 9 and 10, comprises: a strong vehicular framework, havingvehicular-body elements of firm, strength-providing material (23, 25 and26 in FIG. 7: member 24 and elements like 23 and 26 in FIGS. 4 and 5; 58and 60 in FIGS. 9 and means strongly holding the body elements together(the posts or braces and/or screws or the like in FIGS. 4 and 6; thehoops or other looped means in FIGS. 9 and 10); and sealing or bondingmaterial between the contacting joints of the above-mentioned bodyelements.

I claim:

1. An elongated, angularly bendable structure, having an integralplurality of inflated curved, end-joined links, and an integralplurality of wider, flatter portions, said links and flatter portionsbeing surroundable by ambient air, comprising:

a plurality of said inflated, curved links, each comprising animpermeable-to-gas, thin, solid-metal envelope that is arcuate in crosssection and comprises impermeable-to-gas metal that has a thickness ofover 3 mils;

a said wider, flatter, interconnecting portion between each pair of saidlinks, comprising opposite walls of solid, impermeable-to-gas metal thatis integral with said metal of the links, the said opposite walls beingcloser together than the maximum distance across the space between thelink walls and having clearance between them, allowing passage of gasbetween adjacent links;

means, associated with each of said interconnecting portions, forcingsaid opposite walls toward each other against expansive force ofinflation gas;

a pair of hermetically sealed flat ends of said structure, comprising asaid integral flatter portion at each end of the structure, each of saidends comprising solid-metal layers of impermeable-to-gas metal, integralwith the metal of said links and interconnecting portions, being widerin the planes of their flat sides than said maximum distance, and havingholes for attachment to other structure;

gas inside the said links and interconnecting wider portions under apermanent pressure well above that of the atmosphere; singleinflation-gas inlet, comprising a relatively small gas-conveyingelement, between end edges of said structure, having a cross-sectionalarea well 3. Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which said gas islighter than air.

4. Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which said gasconveying elementis attained to a curved side wall of one of said inflated links.

5. Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which each of said sealed flatends comprises: a band of sealing, bonding material joining portions ofsaid layers; forked attachment tabs, between said band and an end edgeof said structure, adapted to straddle another object in assembly; andattachment holes in said tabs for rod-like attachment elements.

6. Structure as set fortli in claim 1, comprising bonding material,permanently sealing said gas-conveying element after inflation of thestructure.

7. Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which said means forcing saidwalls toward each other comprises rod-like elements.

8. Structure as set forth in claim 7, in which said rodlike elementscomprise bolts.

9. Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which said means forcing saidwalls toward each other, at each said interconnecting portion, comprisesa rod-like element and bonding material.

10. Structure, surroundable by ambient air, adapted to be inflated andto serve as a substantially nonstretchable construction unit, havingparallel side edges exposed to ambient air, and having a plurality ofelongated, planar, inflatable, end-to-end-joined links, each extendingfrom one of said side edges to the other, with oppositely arrangedinflatable parts of the walls of each link free to expand undersubsequent inflation from planar condition, outwardly from each otherand into arcuately curved walls; said structure having at least onebendable constriction between each two adjacent,

- end-to-end-joined inflatable parts, extending from one below themaximum cross-sectional area of said of said side edges to the other;the said structure comprising:

a pair of equal-size, planar, rectangular layers of solid metal having athickness of at least 3 mils, one layer located above the other, havingopposite, juxtaposed inner faces and the said side edges;

bonding means sealingly connecting the two end por tions of said layers,hermetically joining said end portions in sealed bands, extending fromone of said side edges to the other;

at least one intermediate fastening means, between said end portions,and between a pair of said links, substantially forcing oppositeportions of said layers toward each other in a said bendableconstriction, against expansion when under inflation, providingrestricted passage of inflation gas;

portions of said opposite inner face on each side of said intermediatefastening means and between the two united pairs of said side edgesbeing free from attachment to each other, and movable outwardly apartinto curved walls when under pressurized inflation, into curved,elongated, inflated links, each of which curvingly and smoothly slopesfrom a middle link portion to a wider portion at each end of the link;and

a single inflation-gas inlet, permanently and sealingly connected to oneof said layers, between said sealed bands at the end portions of saidstructure,

which said 13. Structureas set forth in claim 10, in which each l 12 ofsaid sealed bands is spaced from an end edge of the structure, and thesaid structure, further comprises:

between each said band-and end edge, two bifurcated attachment partsadapted to straddle'another object in assembly; and attachment holes insaid tabs for rod-like attachment elements.

14. Structure as set forth in claim 10, in which saicl intermediatefastening means comprises spot welds.

II! k

1. An elongated, angularly bendable structure, having an integralplurality of inflated curved, end-joined links, and an integralplurality of wider, flatter portions, said links and flatter portionsbeing surroundable by ambient air, comprising: a plurality of saidinflated, curved links, each comprising an impermeable-to-gas, thin,solid-metal envelope that is arcuate in cross section and comprisesimpermeable-to-gas metal that has a thickness of over 3 mils; a saidwider, flatter, interconnecting portion between each pair of said links,comprising opposite walls of solid, impermeable-to-gas metal that isintegral with said metal of the links, the said opposite walls beingcloser together than the maximum distance across the space between thelink walls and having clearance between them, allowing passage of gasbetween adjacent links; means, associated with each of saidinterconnecting portions, forcing said opposite walls toward each otheragainst expansive force of inflation gas; a pair of hermetically sealedflat ends of said structure, comprising a said integral flatter portionat each end of the structure, each of said ends comprising solid-metallayers of impermeable-to-gas metal, integral with the metal of saidlinks and interconnecting portions, being wider in the planes of theirflat sides than said maximum distance, and having holes for attachmentto other structure; gas inside the said links and interconnecting widerportions under a permanent pressure well above that of the atmosphere; asingle inflation-gas inlet, comprising a relatively small gas-conveyingelement, between end edges of said structure, having a cross-sectionalarea well beloW the maximum cross-sectional area of said links, forminga permanent part of said structure, supplying inflation gas to all ofsaid links and interconnecting portions; and means sealing said inletafter inflation of the structure.
 1. An elongated, angularly bendablestructure, having an integral plurality of inflated curved, end-joinedlinks, and an integral plurality of wider, flatter portions, said linksand flatter portions being surroundable by ambient air, comprising: aplurality of said inflated, curved links, each comprising animpermeable-to-gas, thin, solid-metal envelope that is arcuate in crosssection and comprises impermeable-to-gas metal that has a thickness ofover 3 mils; a said wider, flatter, interconnecting portion between eachpair of said links, comprising opposite walls of solid,impermeableto-gas metal that is integral with said metal of the links,the said opposite walls being closer together than the maximum distanceacross the space between the link walls and having clearance betweenthem, allowing passage of gas between adjacent links; means, associatedwith each of said interconnecting portions, forcing said opposite wallstoward each other against expansive force of inflation gas; a pair ofhermetically sealed flat ends of said structure, comprising a saidintegral flatter portion at each end of the structure, each of said endscomprising solid-metal layers of impermeable-to-gas metal, integral withthe metal of said links and interconnecting portions, being wider in theplanes of their flat sides than said maximum distance, and having holesfor attachment to other structure; gas inside the said links andinterconnecting wider portions under a permanent pressure well abovethat of the atmosphere; a single inflation-gas inlet, comprising arelatively small gasconveying element, between end edges of saidstructure, having a cross-sectional area well beloW the maximumcross-sectional area of said links, forming a permanent part of saidstructure, supplying inflation gas to all of said links andinterconnecting portions; and means sealing said inlet after inflationof the structure.
 2. Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which thepressure of said gas is at least five pounds per square inch. 3.Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which said gas is lighter thanair.
 4. Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which said gas-conveyingelement is attained to a curved side wall of one of said inflated links.5. Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which each of said sealed flatends comprises: a band of sealing, bonding material joining portions ofsaid layers; forked attachment tabs, between said band and an end edgeof said structure, adapted to straddle another object in assembly; andattachment holes in said tabs for rod-like attachment elements. 6.Structure as set forth in claim 1, comprising bonding material,permanently sealing said gas-conveying element after inflation of thestructure.
 7. Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which said meansforcing said walls toward each other comprises rod-like elements. 8.Structure as set forth in claim 7, in which said rod-like elementscomprise bolts.
 9. Structure as set forth in claim 1, in which saidmeans forcing said walls toward each other, at each said interconnectingportion, comprises a rod-like element and bonding material. 10.Structure, surroundable by ambient air, adapted to be inflated and toserve as a substantially non-stretchable construction unit, havingparallel side edges exposed to ambient air, and having a plurality ofelongated, planar, inflatable, end-to-end-joined links, each extendingfrom one of said side edges to the other, with oppositely arrangedinflatable parts of the walls of each link free to expand undersubsequent inflation from planar condition, outwardly from each otherand into arcuately curved walls; said structure having at least onebendable constriction between each two adjacent, end-to-end-joinedinflatable parts, extending from one of said side edges to the other;the said structure comprising: a pair of equal-size, planar, rectangularlayers of solid metal having a thickness of at least 3 mils, one layerlocated above the other, having opposite, juxtaposed inner faces and thesaid side edges; bonding means sealingly connecting the two end portionsof said layers, hermetically joining said end portions in sealed bands,extending from one of said side edges to the other; at least oneintermediate fastening means, between said end portions, and between apair of said links, substantially forcing opposite portions of saidlayers toward each other in a said bendable constriction, againstexpansion when under inflation, providing restricted passage ofinflation gas; portions of said opposite inner face on each side of saidintermediate fastening means and between the two united pairs of saidside edges being free from attachment to each other, and movableoutwardly apart into curved walls when under pressurized inflation, intocurved, elongated, inflated links, each of which curvingly and smoothlyslopes from a middle link portion to a wider portion at each end of thelink; and a single inflation-gas inlet, permanently and sealinglyconnected to one of said layers, between said sealed bands at the endportions of said structure, comprising a gas-conveying duct, forsupplying pressurized inflation gas into all of said links andconstrictions.
 11. Structure as set forth in claim 10, in which eachsaid intermediate fastening means comprises a rod-like element. 12.Structure as set forth in claim 11, in which said rod-like element is abolt.
 13. Structure as set forth in claim 10, in which each of saidsealed bands is spaced from an end edge of the structure, and the saidstructure, further comprises: between each said band and end edge, twobifurcated attachment parts adapted to straddle another object inassembly; and attachment holes in said tabs for rod-like attachmentelements.